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Climate Control

Content may not apply to all models. Consult your owner's manual for specific information about your
vehicle.

Automatic Climate Control

Your Insight is equipped with a state-of-the-art automatic climate control system that makes traveling comfortable year round, regardless of the weather. When in full automatic mode, you set the desired temperature and the system self-selects fan-speed, air source, and airflow to best reach and maintain that set temperature. There may be circumstances when you wish to manually control the system. Pushing a manual control takes only that function out of auto mode, while the rest remain. Here are some subjects that many drivers have questions about regarding the manual controls of their climate control systems.

Controlling the source of air

The Recirculation Button controls the source of the air going through your climate control system. When in Recirculation Mode, air from the vehicle's interior is re-circulated through the system. Use Recirculation Mode when driving through smoky or dusty conditions, or when you need maximum A/C cooling. Keeping the system in Recirculation Mode, however, especially with the A/C off, can cause the windows to fog.

Source of outside air coming into the vehicle

Air intakes for both heating and cooling are at the base of the windshield. Keep these clear of leaves and other debris for better operation.

Air exit locations

After circulating the air through the interior, the flow-through ventilation system exhausts it through vents at the rear of the cabin.

Cooling down the vehicle after it's been sitting in the sun

Start the engine and press the A/C Button to turn on the A/C. Set the fan to maximum speed. Open the windows partially and select Recirculation Mode. Once the cool air has replaced the warm air, close the windows, switch to Fresh Air Mode and turn the fan to the desired setting.

Air conditioning noise in engine

Air conditioning places an extra load on the engine, particularly a small displacement engine as used by Insight. You may hear a noise when your compressor engages, but there is nothing wrong with the engine. If any noise does concern you, contact your Honda dealer.

Making the interior drier and warmer

Use the air-conditioning and heating at the same time. As it cools, the A/C draws moisture out of the air. When used with the heater, it makes the interior drier and warmer. This procedure works whenever the outside temperature is above 32 degrees Fahrenheit

Removing fog from windows

Switch on the fan, the defroster, and the A/C. Adjust the temperature control so the air flow from the defroster feels warm. Turn on the rear window defogger. The Insight’s Auto Idle Stop function is designed to suspend operation if the A/C and defroster are needed to keep the windows clear.

Removing frost and ice from the windshield exterior

Start the engine and select defrost. Switch the fan and temperature controls to the maximum. To rapidly remove exterior frost or ice from the windshield, first select Recirculation Mode. Once the windshield is clear, select Fresh Air Mode to avoid fogging the windows. The air will get warmer and clear the windows faster as the engine warms up. Once the windows clear, close the side vents. This sends more air to the windshield defroster vents. For safety, make sure you have a clear view through all windows before driving away.

Caring for the A/C system

Run the air conditioning at least once a week during the cold weather months. Run it for at least 10 minutes while driving at a steady speed with the engine at normal operating temperature. This circulates the lubricating oil contained in the refrigerant. In cold weather, never turn the fan off except during the first few minutes of operation. Your climate control system will work best if you keep air circulating.